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Chapter 88
September 3rd: Part 4 (9月3日(4), Kugatsu Mikka (4)) is the 88th chapter of the Hunter × Hunter manga, written and illustrated by Yoshihiro Togashi. Synopsis At the market place, a man believes that even if the wooden box is real, it doesn't mean that the gems are. Zepile who is with Gon and Killua, can see that "it" is starting. While others agree with the man, they can still tell the gems are real too. The man says even if the gems are real and in amazing condition, that it doesn't change the fact that they might not be from the same era as the box. Killua asks Zepile what's happening, and he responds that they're trying to get the price to drop. Due to a law of the market and it is normal to want to buy something at a cheaper price, he can't stop them. Zepile tells the boys that if a customer begins handling your items suspiciously, calmly go over and ask them if they need help. As the boys begin watching the customers, the man promises them that he won't swap the item and that there's a tag to prevent that. Zepile, knowing that swapping is one of the easiest tricks of the trade, swears to the man that each gem is real and from the era of the chest. However, when he was asked for a certificate to prove his statement, Zepile could not produce one and this causes more people to doubt the gems. Zepile says he'd be happy to get them checked and certified by an expert if that's what it takes. The man says it's nice to see someone trustworthy and such but he could be bluffing. Bluffing is when a forger makes something and tricks the expert into believing it's genuine. Another trick called "the swap" is when there is a genuine item on the floor, but when it's sold, it's quickly swapped with a counterfeit. In the case of the box holding the gems, it's possible that the material is truly 300 years old, but it could've been recently sculpted. This technique is called a "post-sculpt" and is extremely hard to detect, even more so than the age of the material. Zepile starts to become aggravated due to the man's knowledge of the marketplace. The man then proceeds to name more bluffs: replacing an old joint with a new one or heating the joint to give the impression of it having never been opened which are called "double stick" and "heating" respectively. Many other customers begin to doubt the box and gems now. Zepile tries to persuade them that the items are authentic but are once again shot down by the man's knowledge of item tampering. Taking a break, Zepile explains that the man was a merchant that specializes in dropping the price of exceptional items. They act as if they've no interest in the item and then quickly inspect the item and try to point out bad qualities, even if there isn't one. Killua asks the probability of them still selling the gems. Zepile tells him that due to the number of good merchants that were there, there's a chance their items could "catch fire" and sell very well. Gon becomes interested in bluffs and asks Zepile if there are any others. Zepile begins to understand Gon more and how he doesn't care about the good and the bad. He had shown no sort of distrust towards Zepile when he learned that he makes counterfeits and is just driven by pure curiosity. He decides that Gon is very dangerous since he can't be sized up but still decides to tell him more bluffs. Zepile begins to explain the three main points where the bluffs are located: in the chest itself, the joint that seals the chest and its contents. They must observe the wear on the item but due to heating and other restoration like bluffs, this becomes difficult. In their case, the wooden chest is one of the hardest to observe and detect if bluffs have been used on it. These problems caused "counter bluffs" to be made. A bluff called the "opening" is when a real chest is presented with fake gems and is tried to be sold as a set. This is the bluff that they were recently accused of. They could even use a "counter bluff" to trick people into believing there hasn't been any heating. By taking the gems out of the chest through a new opening, then changing the contents and sealing the hole, this method is called the "side breach". With illusions like this at their disposal, it's possible to make the customer "blind" and have them believe everything you say. Zepile tells a fascinated Gon that the more perfect an item is, the worse the trouble that is sure to follow. Just then, Gon receives a call from Leorio, with information on the Phantom Troupe. Leorio tells them he received a picture along with a message from a phone, clearly showing members (Machi and Nobunaga) of the Troupe from the bounty list. All three of them then decide to rush to the location. Characters in Order of Appearance Navigation fr:Chapitre_88 ru:Главы_Арки_Пауков Category:Volume 10 Category:Yorknew City arc